


The Aether

by Guyden



Category: Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Akechi learns a lesson, Artistic Liberties, Exposition, Gen, With metaverse rules, eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:34:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28182489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guyden/pseuds/Guyden
Summary: Goro woke up in a nightmarish realm, buildings contorted and a crimson sky covering it all.Only one thought rang in his head."Where the fuck am I?"
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Minazuki Sho
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Creative liberties with metaverse rules! Also elements of Nocturne (like 1 or two).

Akechi woke up in a nightmarish realm, hearing only flickers and crackles of a flame. Where was he? His personas were buzzing. All he saw was a contorted city under a red sky. He recalls the last moments before he felt himself fading on the helicopter. He remembers seeing Akira punch that bastard Maruki and that’s that. 

He gets up and suddenly hears a voice.

“Ey, you awake? Great, great now I can start my over prepared monologue that Minazuki never stopped criticizing.”

“What the fuck? Where am I? Who the fuck are you? Who is Minazuki and why shouldn’t I murder you?” 

“You’re in the Aether, I’m Sho, Minazuki is my other personality, and you shouldn’t because I outcl **ass** your ass! Hehehe.”

“What is the Aether? This looks like Mementos of all things.”

“Mementos? Oh. That thing. Well it kinda is.”

“ **WHAT**. You mean all of that work was for nothing? That it never went away!?”

“Well kinda? I mean your friends still killed a sippy cup of a god,” said Sho.

“Sippy cup?” 

“Holy grail.”

“Ah, that thing. They told me of how it went after my demise. Wait, shouldn’t I be dead?” 

“Should. I remember jumping in at the last moment and getting you here. You were in a coma and I could only do the best I could to heal your gun wounds. Some tentacles did snatch you away for a while but in the last few weeks you ended up here. It should be around April, eh I’m not good with time.”

“What.”

“Yea April. Anyways since I introduced myself it’s only fair for you to give me my name,” said Sho.

“Goro Akechi, Black Mask.”

“Black Mask, oh. Oh god what have you done? I can practically hear screams of terror and hatred.”

“Yes, that sounds like me. What about it?”

“Kid. Why did you murder people?”

“How do you know that? Did you work for Shido? Have you been following me?” asked Akechi.

“No. I’ll explain it later. Anyways I can practically see the marks of that fucking sippy cup on you,” said Sho.

“You mean Yaldabaoth?” A building suddenly crumbled and screams ringed in the air.

“ **DON’T SAY IT’S NAME**. Ok, ok. Lemme explain. Names give power. Only refer to it as a sippy cup because the marks of that fucking snake-lion are here and on you as well. Saying it kinda, puts pressure on the marks in a sense. Point is don’t say names of powerful beings, it gives them power in the unconscious.”

“So what exactly do you want with me?”

“Nothing much. I just wanted to make sure you’re ok and to talk with someone who isn’t a shadow. Social interaction with humans is rare in the Aether after all,” said Sho.

“You keep on saying the Aether. Please explain what this is.”

“Oh yea, this is the Aether, perceptual mind of everyone and everything. It’s a nightmare realm in a sense. It’s born from dreams, nightmares, hopes, despair, everything. That Mementos thing you talked about is a different public unconscious.” 

“What the fuck is the difference?”

“That sippy cup kinda- well. Uh shit I don’t know how to put this,” Sho made a thinking face for a minute, “Oh I got it! Imagine the physical world as one island, and the Aether as another island. Gods like to make bridges to the physical world, usually to take it over, and can sorta limit what goes on the bridge. That mementos thing kinda only carried the corrupt thoughts of people.”

“So all of what we saw was curated for mine and the Phantom Thief’s viewings? To motivate us? So it was all planned by a fucking cup?”

“Yep! Usually though they must gain power or some shit. Usually their gaining of power is slow as shit but consuming a Persona user, among other things, rises it exponentially. Point is they kinda create bridges using Persona users. Usually the physical world only affects this world, but when there is a bridge doing stuff around here can affect the physical realm.”

“Like murder?”

“Yep! Although gods quite literally cannot take away Personas of conscious people. So they must set a clause that if violated by the user, takes their Persona away. These gods are always some concept of sorts so they center the clause around some point they try to make. Like acceptance of death, acceptance of self, or acceptance of rebellion. Point is they try and prove a fucking point to take over humanity.”

“Ok this doesn’t explain what the fuck I am doing here and not being drowned by you.”

“Well it’s because I don’t like murder. Plus I honestly have seen worse. You would not believe the memories I’ve seen.”

“Ok then who the fuck are you?”

“Me? I’m a demi-fiend. Or demi-god. Depends on who you ask.”

“Ok so you have a god complex, who are you actually?”

“Well I’m not kidding. Years ago a god entered my body, tried to take it over. It was defeated and tried retreating into my body. Unluckily I ate it. My wild card broke itself trying to consume the fucker but I did it. I was marked with scars all over my body that marked my powers. I became a bridge from the physical to mental world. There is a lot more to this world, most of which I’ll tell you later. But first I’ll ask you a question.”

“What would that be?” 

“Would you like to return to Tokyo?”

“... Fuck no. I would like to leave that mess and I would take this place over Tokyo. I won’t regret my actions but I would like to leave them be,” said Akechi.

Sho sighed, “alright kid, you can change your mind anytime. Well get up,” Sho extended a bandaged hand to Akechi. Akechi fully saw the scene, a sort of camp was set up here. A campfire on the road with a couple pillows as a bed. 

“Mind your Persona by the way, some shadows around here are actually friendly to humans,” said Sho.

“The fuck?” 

“Yea shadows that separate themselves from humans or shadows born from concepts aren’t actively hostile some of the time. I think I remember the directions to a bar I know of that’s run by a friendly face,” said Sho.

“Friendly face?”

“A guy I found here. Quite a fucking character, he’s just a guy with a messiah complex.”

“Sounds like someone I know of.”


	2. Welcome to Club Escapade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some filler

Time was relative in the Aether. Akechi learned this by checking a watch he kept on himself spin out of control. Seriously, it could’ve been weeks until he asked where the fuck they were going. Oddly enough he didn’t seem to have his Metaverse outfit on but his Personas were still buzzing in his head.

“So where the fuck are we going?” asked Akechi. The site of wrecked buildings was getting old for him. 

“Yea Minazuki? Just let you take control? Fine,” said Sho. he suddenly changed his posture and demeanor. He did mention another personality.

“Alright child, I’ll lead the way now. Just follow me,” said Minazuki. Akechi decided to just follow him. They went through some streets, sewers turned shanty towns, and into a mall. The mall looked like a large town, every shop either being a home or shop. There were dozens of stands and hundreds of shadows around. Akechi cooled his instincts and saw many pretty interesting shadows. There were Yoshitsunes, Jack Frosts, Pixies, Pyro Jacks, Slendermen, Toilet Spirits, and many others. They went into a store with blacked out windows which was labeled, ‘Club Escapade Electric Boogaloo,’ with rearranged neon parts. 

In the room was a dimly lit place with tables set around, and behind the barstool was a man around Minazuki’s age with blue hair slightly reminiscent of Yuseke’s. It was long and tied up though. The boy looked at Sho(Minazuki gave back control) and smiled.

“That is Minato Arisato, owner of Club Escapade Electric Boogaloo and one of my friends,” said Sho.

“He looks oddly human,” said Akechi.

“Yea, yea he kinda is. Technically though he is dead,” said Sho.

“A ghost? So this is the afterlife?” said Akechi.

“No, he just sealed himself in here,” said Sho, “that’s a tale for another time though.” 

Sho sat down and Akechi followed suit. Minato began to speak.

“Ah Sho, brought a straggler?” asked Minato.

“Yea Minmin, he’s Goro Akechi,” said Sho. Minato’s eyes flashed open and he was pained for a second before regaining composure.

“Oh my god what did I just feel? I haven’t felt that since you mentioned, Adachi” Sho and Minato said that last part together.

“Yea that’s cause he’s the Black Mask,” said Sho.

Minato immediately had shock in his eyes, “so why did you do it? Why kill dozens? What hatred drove you to do that? Were you bored? Did you have a revolver and looked like Jesus and needed drugs?” 

“Nothing like that, I just hated my father,” said Akechi.

“That’s unreasonably petty. Also on paper that sounds stupid,” said Minato.

“In retrospect and all honesty it was,” said Akechi.

“Well welcome to the Aether where the consequences of your actions are way worse! Here people will undeniably want to murder you because they were born out of fear and hate of the mental shutdowns!” said Sho.

“What,” said Akechi.

“Yea you can’t escape your past that easily!” said Sho. Minato sighed.

“Ignore Sho’s bluntness. Anyways would you like a drink? Don’t worry I serve non-alcoholic things,” said Minato. Akechi ordered a cocktail he enjoyed while Sho eagerly ordered a whiskey, only to be reminded by Minazuki and Minato what he did last time he was drunk. He sadly ordered a soda.

“One time when I was visiting Yu told me how half of his entire gang got drunk off of the atmosphere!” said Sho.

“And how the hell would that happen?” asked Akechi.

“Perception is a powerful thing Akechi, you should know that yourself,” said Sho.

“Of course I do,” said Akechi. Akechi wondered what he would do now. His life plans are up in smoke, all the people he knew hate him, want him dead, or forgotten about him by now. He could just stick around here and live a normal life. He should go back and try to fix the mess he made, maybe later though.

Akechi sipped and decided to go with small talk for now.

“What happened around here? Why does it look like this?” asked Akechi.

“Well a long time ago the world ended. When it ended some Persona users bargained with a god to reverse the apocalypse. He did but only by making a different timeline. This is the old timeline. Unfortunately our perception and thought have shaped this place and bore shadows and all of the gods that try to take over the world or whatnot. I know of this one guy who was the first person to exist here who is like Minato, but it’s an urban legend. The only reason I know this shit is because of some large-ass archive of this sorta shit,” said Sho.

“The world ended? And that’s why all of this Persona buisness happened? Oh great, so humanity has to constantly stop forces from this world from taking over the physical one,” said Akechi.

“Well not really. Those times are pretty damned rare and since I got my powers I decided to take it upon myself to personally destroy and or sabotage any efforts made to invade,” said Sho.

“By eating them?” asked Akechi.

“Hey! It’s like gaining a Persona! Except it’s just power and the occasional move or two,” said Sho.

“He eats them in their weakened state. He is serving as a container for all of them,” said Minato.

“How many?” asked Akechi.

“Four or five not counting Volcano-baby!” said Sho.

“Four or five gods?” asked Akechi.

“By god you mean manifestations of a belief and or idea that wants to cross the bridge to reality, then YES gods,” said Sho.

“One time he ate a Shoggoth.” said Minato, who was serving other demons.

“Yea fun time, fun times. Usually I catch those gods before they can fully do anything,” said Sho.

“So are all the shadows around here sentient?” asked Akechi.

“I guess? Some are, some aren’t. Some are just living shopkeeps that don’t have a real personality and some are as human as me or you,” said Sho.

“Do items from here transfer to the real world?” asked Akechi.

“Well kinda? Some are real world items, money can be gotten here sometimes, and most things fade to dust when destroyed. Ehhhh,” said Sho.

“You seem to be unsure of the properties of this world,” said Akechi.

“Excuse me I don’t spend all my time researching every speck of dust here,” said Sho.

“So here’s a question, why the hell did you not kill the Demiurge before all that bullshit happened?” asked Akechi.

“Oh, that fucker kicked my ass twelve times over. I barely got out alive. Sorry about that whole mess,” said Sho. 

Sho drank the last of his non-alcoholic drink and got up. “Alrighty I am going to take a supply run, want anything?” asked Sho.

“I’ll gladly take a Messiah figurine,” said Minato.

“Ah the new or old one? I think I saw one in a claw machine,” said Sho.

“Old one please,” said Minato.

“I’m fine,” said Akechi.

With that Sho jumped out of the Aether, leaving Akechi and Minato alone.


	3. Beginning.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well I got a thing for these two to fight against.

Akechi continued to sip on his drink. He looked at Minato with intrigue. Who was he? What did he do to seal himself here? Why was this bar named after one in Iwatodai? Well he obviously visited it at one point. Akechi recalls a metaphysical accident in Iwatodai that resulted in the apathy syndrome. This person looks like he would’ve been in high school during that time, like one Mitsuru Kirijo, the one person Shido knew for sure was a Shadow Operative. Might’ve been a stretch but. . .

“Do you have anything to do with apathy syndrome?” asked Akechi. Minato looked genuinely surprised at the question.

“My, good guess. What about it?” asked Minato.

“Were you involved in it?” asked Akechi.

“Somewhat. I was there, that’s it,” said Minato.

“Were you a Persona user?” asked Akechi.

“Yea, along with my teammates. Mitsuru deserves more credit than me. I just sacrificed myself for the team,” said Minato.

“You were a Wild Card?” asked Akechi.

“One of. Well my journey is bland anyways, I’m sure yours is more interesting,” said Minato.

“Did you so happen to have a thing called Confidants?” Joker mentioned Confidants as his source of power.

“That’s what they call it nowadays? Me and Yu called them Social Links,” said Minato. Akechi internally scoffed at the notion. 

“So what do I do here?” asked Akechi.

“Nothing much, although there are some problems with some Demon Lords subjugating the local shadows with ridiculous demands. I think their leader is called Ooe?” This surprised Akechi. Why hadn’t he considered it? That even with Shido’s fall and the ‘reformation of society’ that the Phantom Thieves brought that the men in power still held it. Well not like he could do anything about it without a Metaverse.

“So what?” 

“I dunno, just thought I’d mention it,” said Minato with a shrug.

“Well anyways has the oh Glorious Phantom Thieves had any impact on this side of the world?” asked Akechi.

“What’s with the malice? Well anyways yea I think a cognition of their fanbase, the bad parts of it, go around like a modern crusade. They burn shit they deem a creation of corrupt adults. Well hey you can’t have light like the Phantom Thieves without shadow,” said Minato.

“Oh god, a reality where the internet piranhas actually have power,” said Akechi.

“They wander around Tokyo, mostly as a mob of people with tophats, a mask, and torches,” said Minato.

“Well that sounds just wonderful to deal with, is there any more fantastic news you care to enlighten me with?” asked Akechi with an overdose of salt.

“Hey no need for sass, I get enough of that from Sho,” said Minato.

**Meanwhile, at Akihabara**

Sho had arrived at the arcade after an arduous subway ride. He was really not used to using it. Well anyways he arrived at the arcade and can finally get that Messiah Figure that Minato always wanted for some reason. Well anyways he found a claw machine stocked with them. First time he actually found one, all the previous times he looked in stores and all of them had them run out. 

From the looks of it it’s actually the 2009 version of the Messiah figurine. It looks pretty damned cool all things considered. Plus it seems easy to get it, just hook the tag with the claw.

Ten minutes and two thousand yen later Sho was getting frustrated. Why the hell does it always miss? How the hell does it always miss? The mind boggling amount of times it seems like it’ll be caught but falls off is staggering! 

Money’s no object for Sho but damn does this feel like a scam. He’s considering breaking the machine and stealing the figurine until he hears a meek voice as he put a coin in the machine.

“Uhh, you’re doing it wrong,” said a little girl with orange hair and headphones. Sho lowered his fist and looks at the girl.

“Oh? And how am I supposed to do it without Messiah it up!” said Sho with a snicker.

“Like this,” said the girl. She walked to the machine, and perfectly grabbed the box and nailed it. She suddenly gained confidence in Sho’s extremely puzzled face and said, “Mwehehehe, eek!” until Sho grabbed the box and runs.

Sho ran away and when the coast was clear he rested for a second. He checked the groceries he got for Minato, opened a portal to the Aether and jumped. Unbeknownst to him the girl saw him open and jump into the portal.

When Sho got back to Club Escapade 2.0 he saw Minato and Akechi playing a game of chess. With Akechi coldly moving chess pieces while Minato lackadaisical shoved them. It seemed like Minato was winning to Akechi’s dismay. Sho unloaded the bag with some cooking materials, bottles of alcohol, and various other things he got from a supermarket. Minato thanked him and went to stash them away.

Sho took Minato’s spot and several turns later Minazuki had to take control from Sho. Minazuki managed to make it a draw and from then on the game continued to drag on. 

Sho took back control when Minato came back, smiled at him and said, “hey MinMin! Any shadows for me to bust lately?”

Minato thought for a minute before saying, “well I already told Akechi but there’s this tyrant shadow called Ooe that’s trying to take over this place.”

Sho smiled and said, “so on a level of Pixie to Shoggoth how terrifyingly hard to beat is it?”

“The level of two reapers,” said Minato. 

“Perfect! Akechi pack your shit we are going to kick some shadow ass!” said Sho. Akechi, while not surprised, was very against the idea.

“Why the fuck would I do that? It’s not like it’ll do anything,” said Akechi.

“Because it’s fun! Also these things can turn into gods and I’d rather that not happen,” said Sho.

“Also because the Phantom Crusade and Ooe are having a war against each other and it’ll turn this Tokyo into a trainwreck,” said Minato.

“Again why do I care?” 

“I’ll pay you!” said Sho. Akechi thought about this hard, real hard, really really hard. This place definitely used yen and he’ll probably need the money if he plans to stay here. Well it’s not gonna be hard anyways. 

“Fine, but I’m leading,” said Akechi. Sho aqueissed on that.


	4. Beginning.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well I got a thing for these two to fight against.

Akechi continued to sip on his drink. He looked at Minato with intrigue. Who was he? What did he do to seal himself here? Why was this bar named after one in Iwatodai? Well he obviously visited it at one point. Akechi recalls a metaphysical accident in Iwatodai that resulted in the apathy syndrome. This person looks like he would’ve been in high school during that time, like one Mitsuru Kirijo, the one person Shido knew for sure was a Shadow Operative. Might’ve been a stretch but. . .

“Do you have anything to do with apathy syndrome?” asked Akechi. Minato looked genuinely surprised at the question.

“My, good guess. What about it?” asked Minato.

“Were you involved in it?” asked Akechi.

“Somewhat. I was there, that’s it,” said Minato.

“Were you a Persona user?” asked Akechi.

“Yea, along with my teammates. Mitsuru deserves more credit than me. I just sacrificed myself for the team,” said Minato.

“You were a Wild Card?” asked Akechi.

“One of. Well my journey is bland anyways, I’m sure yours is more interesting,” said Minato.

“Did you so happen to have a thing called Confidants?” Joker mentioned Confidants as his source of power.

“That’s what they call it nowadays? Me and Yu called them Social Links,” said Minato. Akechi internally scoffed at the notion. 

“So what do I do here?” asked Akechi.

“Nothing much, although there are some problems with some Demon Lords subjugating the local shadows with ridiculous demands. I think their leader is called Ooe?” This surprised Akechi. Why hadn’t he considered it? That even with Shido’s fall and the ‘reformation of society’ that the Phantom Thieves brought that the men in power still held it. Well not like he could do anything about it without a Metaverse.

“So what?” 

“I dunno, just thought I’d mention it,” said Minato with a shrug.

“Well anyways has the oh Glorious Phantom Thieves had any impact on this side of the world?” asked Akechi.

“What’s with the malice? Well anyways yea I think a cognition of their fanbase, the bad parts of it, go around like a modern crusade. They burn shit they deem a creation of corrupt adults. Well hey you can’t have light like the Phantom Thieves without shadow,” said Minato.

“Oh god, a reality where the internet piranhas actually have power,” said Akechi.

“They wander around Tokyo, mostly as a mob of people with tophats, a mask, and torches,” said Minato.

“Well that sounds just wonderful to deal with, is there any more fantastic news you care to enlighten me with?” asked Akechi with an overdose of salt.

“Hey no need for sass, I get enough of that from Sho,” said Minato.

**Meanwhile, at Akihabara**

Sho had arrived at the arcade after an arduous subway ride. He was really not used to using it. Well anyways he arrived at the arcade and can finally get that Messiah Figure that Minato always wanted for some reason. Well anyways he found a claw machine stocked with them. First time he actually found one, all the previous times he looked in stores and all of them had them run out. 

From the looks of it it’s actually the 2009 version of the Messiah figurine. It looks pretty damned cool all things considered. Plus it seems easy to get it, just hook the tag with the claw.

Ten minutes and two thousand yen later Sho was getting frustrated. Why the hell does it always miss? How the hell does it always miss? The mind boggling amount of times it seems like it’ll be caught but falls off is staggering! 

Money’s no object for Sho but damn does this feel like a scam. He’s considering breaking the machine and stealing the figurine until he hears a meek voice as he put a coin in the machine.

“Uhh, you’re doing it wrong,” said a little girl with orange hair and headphones. Sho lowered his fist and looks at the girl.

“Oh? And how am I supposed to do it without Messiah it up!” said Sho with a snicker.

“Like this,” said the girl. She walked to the machine, and perfectly grabbed the box and nailed it. She suddenly gains confidence in Sho’s extremely puzzled face and says, “Mwehehehe, eek!” until Sho grabs the box and runs.

Sho ran away and when the coast was clear he rested for a second. He checked the groceries he got for Minato, opened a portal to the Aether and jumped. Unbeknownst to him the girl saw him open and jump into the portal.

When Sho got back to Club Escapade 2.0 he saw Minato and Akechi playing a game of chess. With Akechi coldly moving chess pieces while Minato lackadaisical shoved them. It seemed like Minato was winning to Akechi’s dismay. Sho unloaded the bag with some cooking materials, bottles of alcohol, and various other things he got from a supermarket. Minato thanked him and went to stash them away.

Sho took Minato’s spot and several turns later Minazuki had to take control from Sho. Minazuki managed to make it a draw and from then on the game continued to drag on. 

Sho took back control when Minato came back, smiled at him and said, “hey MinMin! Any shadows for me to bust lately?”

Minato thought for a minute before saying, “well I already told Akechi but there’s this tyrant shadow called Ooe that’s trying to take over this place.”

Sho smiled and said, “so on a level of Pixie to Shoggoth how terrifyingly hard to beat is it?”

“The level of two reapers,” said Minato. 

“Perfect! Akechi pack your shit we are going to kick some shadow ass!” said Sho. Akechi, while not surprised, was very against the idea.

“Why the fuck would I do that? It’s not like it’ll do anything,” said Akechi.

“Because it’s fun! Also these things can turn into gods and I’d rather that not happen,” said Sho.

“Also because the Phantom Crusade and Ooe are having a war against each other and it’ll turn this Tokyo into a trainwreck,” said Minato.

“Again why do I care?” 

“I’ll pay you!” said Sho. Akechi thought about this hard, real hard, really really hard. This place definitely used yen and he’ll probably need the money if he plans to stay here. Well it’s not gonna be hard anyways. 

“Fine, but I’m leading,” said Akechi. Sho aqueissed on that.


End file.
